Douglas Peterson
I was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan, where I attended Oakridge High School. Upon graduation, I spent a rough year at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. I promptly transferred to Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan where I received my B.S. in Cell & Molecular Biology and Biomedical Sciences as well as a minor in Chemistry. I spent a large portion of my undergraduate career working in the laboratory of Dr. Merritt Taylor in Developmental Biology and Stem Cell research. However, I didn't believe that further pursuit of biological research would suit me and believed a future in teaching would be much more rewarding, so I applied and was awarded the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's Woodrow Wilson Michigan Teaching Fellowship. During the 2012-2013 school year, I student taught 9th grade Biology at East Kentwood Freshman campus while taking Masters level courses in education through Grand Valley State University. For the 2013-2014 school year, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to teach Chm 102 (chemistry in socitey) as well as Chm 109 (general chemistry) and Chm 116 (general chemistry 2) labs at Grand Valley State University. As a result of difficulties obtaining a position teaching High School in West Michigan, I have worked as an ophthalmic technician from January of 2014 to the present. This has provided me with new and varied perspectives that I look forward to bringing to a classroom.